• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wimpy Vegetarian
  • Home
  • About Susan
    • About Susan
    • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Recipe Index
  • Essential Pantry
    • Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Meal Plans
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » MAKE IT EASY » Instant Pot

    Easiest Instant Pot Tomato Risotto

    Modified: Aug 19, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

    This Instant Pot Tomato Risotto shows the best way to make risotto - any risotto - in the Instant Pot. The tomatoes are roasted with a little balsamic vinegar for extra flavor.

    Instant Pot risotto means no more hovering over the stove, gradually stirring in hot broth. Just stir once at the end. Sooo easy!

    Jump to Recipe
    Creamy risotto in a serving bowl with charred roasted tomatoes, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe

    Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to see which sections of this post will help you the most.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
    • 🍚 What kind of rice is used for risotto?
    • 🍅 Can I use cherry tomatoes?
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • 📝 Instructions Overview
    • 👩‍🍳 What are the ways to make risotto?
    • 👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips
    • 💡Ideas for Possible Variations
    • 💡 Ways to use leftover risotto
    • Easiest Instant Pot Tomato Risotto

    Have you purchased an electric pressure cooker only to have it still in the box, because you don't have a clue what to do with it? Well, you have a lot of company.

    I admit that I did unpack mine. But then I slid it onto a shelf in the pantry, where it sat for a very long time. Eventually, I started cooking my beans in it. Then, when I contracted to write a cookbook, my editor blithely announced that I would include a chapter for the Instant Pot. (ACK!!) So, I dragged it out and got to work. Two years and many recipes later, my favorite no-fail recipe is still my Instant Pot Risotto.

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • Easiest way to make risotto since it's almost entirely hands-off!
    • It's ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.
    • Fool-proof creamy texture.
    • Versatile for adding seasonal roasted vegetables all year round.
    • You're not standing over a hot pot on a hot day.
    • Risotto is naturally gluten free.

    🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes

    The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minutes meal or less.

    For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions for this risotto recipe, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.

    • Yellow onion
    • Arborio (risotto) rice - don't be tempted to use long grain rice. Arborio rice, a short grain rice, is grown specifically for making risotto. It contains a starch that promotes the all-important creamy texture. Do not rinse this rice before cooking it into a risotto. This will remove some of the starch, and will prevent the risotto from being super-creamy.
    • White wine - I recommend a light white wine such as sauvignon blanc or a pinot grigio. Their light flavor means the wine won't dominate the dish in any way. And the crispness of either wine provides a great contrast to the creamy rice.
    • Vegetable broth - I use 1 teaspoon of Vegetable Better Than Bouillon bouillon paste for every cup of broth called for, and dilute it in hot water.
    • Roasted Tomatoes - cocktail tomatoes, also called Compari tomatoes, are the perfect size. Plum tomatoes (Roma tomatoes) also work well. Roasting them with a splash of balsamic vinegar intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes and risotto, and can be done up to a week ahead. Either slow roast the tomatoes or make your own fire roasted tomatoes quickly under the broiler.
    • Fresh basil
    • Parmesan cheese - if you want to keep this risotto dish vegetarian, look for a Parmesan cheese that uses a vegetable rennet.

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    A wooden spoon holding a mound of creamy risotto with roasted tomatoes, basil and cheese.

    🍚 What kind of rice is used for risotto?

    The rice used to make risotto is very specific, and should not be substituted with long grain rice. Risotto rice can absorb a lot of liquid and not get mushy. And it's a very starchy rice, which is what makes risottos so beautifully creamy.

    Here are the three types you may see at your grocery store. All are excellent choices. Use the same directions when cooking with any of them, but don't rinse risotto rice before cooking it. The starchy coating is super important to getting a creamy risotto.

    • Arborio - this is by far the most common anywhere I've ever lived.
    • Carnaroli - this is a type favored by many chefs because it holds it's shape the best, while still getting a creamy texture.
    • Vialone Nano - grown in the Veneto region of Italy, it cooks up a little faster than carnaroli.

    🍅 Can I use cherry tomatoes?

    Yes, but be sure they're cherry tomatoes, not grape tomatoes. The shape of grape tomatoes, when roasted, are too small.

    Just like with Campari tomatoes and Roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes), either slow roast or do a quick fire roasting under the broiler before stirring them into the risotto.

    🔪 Recommended Equipment

    Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping soooo much easier. If you want more fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.

    • Electric Pressure Cooker
    • Risotto Spoon
    • Cheese grater

    4 process shots of making risotto in the Instant Pot.

    📝 Instructions Overview

    Detailed instructions for making this Instant Pot risotto are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!

    Step 1

    Sauté and add the wine. Select the SAUTE function on your electric pressure cooker, using medium heat. Melt the butter in the inner cooking pot, and stir in the onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, until slightly softened.

    Add the rice to the pot, and stir with a wooden spoon to coat. If you have a risotto spoon, go dig it out! Otherwise, use a wooden spoon. Sauté for 3 - 5 minutes to lightly toast the rice.

    Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes, until the wine is absorbed into the rice.

    Step 2

    Add the broth. Add the water and bouillon paste, or vegetable broth, and salt. 

    If using vegetable broth instead of bouillon paste, add an addition ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.

    Step 3

    Pressure cook. Turn the electric pressure cooker off, and lock the lid into place. Select MANUAL and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 6 minutes.

    Allow for a natural release of 5 minutes, and then perform a quick release.

    Remove the lid.

    Step 4

    Add the remaining ingredients. The risotto will have a layer of liquid on top, which will quickly absorb once you stir it. Stir in the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes, basil and cheese using either a risotto spoon or wooden spoon.

    Serve immediately.

    👩‍🍳 What are the ways to make risotto?

    Using my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker is the most recent method I've used for making risotto. But if you don't have an electric pressure cooker, here are the other ways to make risotto.

    • Cook it in the traditional way on the stove top as shown here Butternut Squash Risotto with Pears and Sage.
    • Use your Slow Cooker like this Slow Cooker Asparagus Risotto.
    • Bake it in a pot: Baked Artichoke Risotto with Radicchio and Lemon - Caper Breadcrumbs.
    Tomato halves on parchment paper that have been roasted.

    👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips

    • There aren't a lot of ingredients to this risotto, so each ingredient needs to shine. For example, bring out the very best flavor in the onion by finely dicing it. And be sure to toast the rice a couple of minutes before adding the liquid.
    • Do not rinse the risotto rice. The starchy coating contributes to a creamy texture.
    • If you use vegetable broth instead of bouillon paste stirred into hot water, add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, or ¼ teaspoon of sea salt.
    • Roasting the tomatoes separately guarantees a much deeper flavor to the finished risotto dish. This can be done up to 4 or 5 days ahead.
    • Grate your own cheese. It makes a difference! The pre-grated Parmesan cheese is easier to use, no doubt, but typically includes cellulose to keep it from caking together. This cellulose mutes the flavor of the cheese.

    💡Ideas for Possible Variations

    • Add baby spinach when you stir in the roasted tomatoes and basil.
    • Roast other seasonal vegetables in place of the tomatoes. Try asparagus in spring, and butternut squash in autumn!
    • Roast a head of garlic in the oven, and squeeze out the number of cloves you'd like to add to the risotto. Coarsely mash in the inner pot of the Instant Pot with the risotto rice, before adding the broth.

    💡 Ways to use leftover risotto

    • Reheat with a little extra water, if needed, to achieve the creaminess you want.
    • Make risotto cakes! This is the recipe I use on the Food Network.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    Creamy risotto in a serving bowl with charred roasted tomatoes, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
    5 from 20 votes

    Easiest Instant Pot Tomato Risotto

    This Instant Pot Tomato Risotto shows the best way to make any risotto. The tomatoes are roasted with a little balsamic vinegar for extra flavor, and tips are included for making the easiest, tastiest, no-fuss tomato risotto in the Instant Pot with suggestions for flavor variations.
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time12 minutes mins
    Cook Time6 minutes mins
    Natural release5 minutes mins
    Total Time23 minutes mins
    Course: Vegetarian Dinner
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Instant Pot risotto, instant pot tomato risotto
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 413.8kcal
    Author: Susan Pridmore
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, such as the Instant Pot

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
    • 1 ½ cups Arborio (risotto) rice
    • ¼ cup white wine
    • 4 cups water
    • 1 tablespoon vegetarian Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetables bouillon paste,
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (¼ teaspoon sea salt)
    • 3 whole Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes, (or quick fire roasted tomatoes under the broiler)
    • ¼ cup julienned (thinly sliced) basil leaves
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese,

    Instructions

    • Select the SAUTE function on your electric pressure cooker, and select medium heat. Melt the butter in the inner cooking pot, and stir in the onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, until slightly softened.
    • Add the risotto rice to the pot, and sauté for 3 - 5 minutes to lightly toast the rice. Occasionally stir, using either a risotto spoon or wooden spoon.
    • Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the wine is absorbed into the rice.
    • Add the water, bouillon paste and salt.
      If using vegetable broth instead of bouillon paste, add 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon sea salt).
      Bring to a gentle simmer.
    • Turn the electric pressure cooker off, and lock the lid into place. Select MANUAL and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 6 minutes.
      Allow for a natural release of 5 minutes, and then perform a quick release. Remove the lid.
    • The risotto will have a layer of liquid on top, which will quickly absorb once you stir it. Stir in the roasted tomatoes, basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 413.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 64.8g | Protein: 10.4g | Fat: 10.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26.1mg | Sodium: 980.7mg | Potassium: 147.8mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 2.2g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 162.9mg | Iron: 3.5mg
    « 10 Fabulous Make-Ahead Vegetarian Meals
    Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Flourless) »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz

      May 28, 2020 at 3:25 am

      5 stars
      I'd never thought of making risotto in an IP, but this is genius!!! And the balsamic roasted tomatoes are a fabulous addition!!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        May 28, 2020 at 10:47 am

        5 stars
        Thanks so much Liz! It was soooo good, and we made risotto cakes with the leftovers!

        Reply
    2. Karen

      May 28, 2020 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      I have never tackled risotto because I've heard it's so hands on! This recipe has changed my mind!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        May 28, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        5 stars
        This is the only way to make risotto IMHO - it's so easy, hands off, and consistent every time I made it now.

        Reply
    3. Jane

      May 28, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      What a winner of a dish Susan! Beautiful, healthy, and totally mouthwatering, this should be made by everyone as soon as possible!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        May 28, 2020 at 5:02 pm

        5 stars
        It has been my go-to dish for the past couple of weeks! I don't think I'll ever make risotto any other way now 🙂

        Reply
    4. Ansh

      May 28, 2020 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      That is beautifully cooked risotto! So much better and easier in the instant pot.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        May 29, 2020 at 9:22 am

        5 stars
        So much easier! And nothing is sacrificed in flavor or texture.

        Reply
    5. Barbara Kiebel

      May 30, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      You sold me and I will do a substitute for sure. We won't get any tomatoes worth roasting here for months but I have a huge jar of sun-dried tomatoes and a container of mushrooms so I'll try those with some basil...can't wait!

      For all of the recipes that people make in this great appliance (which sat in my cupboard for too long too), it is the simpler dishes I love the most.

      My only problem? I want it NOW!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        June 02, 2020 at 3:10 pm

        5 stars
        This was made with boring winter tomatoes - so no need to wait. When you roast them with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, you'll think the tomatoes were harvested in Auguest!

        Reply
    6. Coleen @ The Redhead Baker

      May 30, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, I *love* risotto. I didn't know you could make it in an Instant Pot!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        June 02, 2020 at 3:09 pm

        5 stars
        Me too! And it's the BEST way to make it!

        Reply
    7. Laura Kumin

      June 05, 2020 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      I love risotto but hesitate to make it because of the time commitment (plus it usually requires standing over the stove - not my preferred place to be as the weather heats up.) This version has so much going for it - not to mention how simple and quick it is. Can't wait to pull out my Instant Pot and try it.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        June 06, 2020 at 5:44 pm

        5 stars
        I don't think I'll ever make it any other way. And honestly, I make it as much for the risotto the first night as I do for risotto cakes with the leftovers...

        Reply
    8. widalVot

      January 17, 2022 at 9:13 am

      Serve with extra basil and cheese. Risotto really is best eaten as soon as it has finished cooking. The beauty of the Instant Pot is that it has a delay start function which means you can throw everything in, set it to delay start and it will only cook when you are ready for it to.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        January 17, 2022 at 12:08 pm

        5 stars
        I totally agree it's best eaten right away, and had never considered the delay start function!! I'm going to do this on my next batch!

        Reply
    5 from 20 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

    about the author:

    Susan Pridmore

    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

    More about me →

    READER FAVORITES

    • Summer peach cake topped with fresh peaches and blueberries on a marble counter.
      Lazy Summer Peach Cake Recipe with Blueberries
    • A bowl of fresh strawberry salsa with a crostini spread with cheese and topped with salsa.
      Easy Strawberry Salsa Recipe with Chocolate Nibs
    • A bowl of cooked, fluffy brown rice topped with a little fresh thyme.
      How to Cook Fluffy Rice with Tips (White AND Brown Rice)
    • Four dishes from a vegetarian St. Patrick's Day roundup of recipes with text overlay.
      Irish Vegetarian Recipes (St. Patricks Day)

    15 Tips for Going Vegetarian (Updated!)

    A colander filled with freshly washed apples with text overlay.

    Purchase My Cookbook!!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Purchase my cookbook
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe Index

    Copyright © 2025 The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.